It is well known control mechanism that disengages a clutch by determining that “panic braking” is performed if the operation speed of a brake pedal exceeds a predetermined value when a vehicle is running. A problem of such control is that, when the predetermined value is set low, the clutch is disengaged frequently while the vehicle is running and the vehicle runs at idle for a moment.
To overcome such a problem, the predetermined value may be set high. However, setting the predetermined value high tends to slow the speed at which the brake is stepped on when the vehicle speed is slow as in a traffic congestion, which creates a situation in which the clutch cannot be disengaged even when the brake is stepped on to disengage the clutch.
Specifically, even when the brake pedal is stepped on when the vehicle is running at low speed just before the vehicle is stopped, clutch disengagement timing is delayed, and a feeling that the vehicle is pushed out, a shock to the human body, and the like make a driver uneasy.
As another prior art, a clutch control device that automatically “disengages” a clutch in response to brake operation is disclosed (refer to Patent Literature 1).
However, Patent Literature 1 is configured such that, in a case where the vehicle speed is less than or equal to a predetermined vehicle speed and the engine speed is less than or equal to a predetermined engine speed while a vehicle is running, when it is recognized that a brake is operated, a clutch actuator is operated to disengage the clutch and, when the vehicle is stopped, a transmission gear is shifted to neutral position and the “disengagement” operation of the clutch actuator is stopped to engage the clutch, and does not solve the above-described problem.